System and method for bypassing an emergency alert break-in for a recorded event

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the disclosed invention include a system and a method for bypassing an emergency alert break-in for a recorded event. For example, in one embodiment, a set top box is disclosed that includes a memory component for storing computer executable instructions; a communication interface for receiving media content data from a cable service provider; a decoder module for decoding the received media content data; an emergency alert break-in monitoring module for identifying an emergency alert break-in from the received data; a digital video recorder controller module for determining whether the identified emergency alert break-in affects a recording of a program on a recorded channel; and an emergency alert break-in bypass module for bypassing the identified emergency alert break-in for enabling the digital video recorder controller module to record the program without the identified emergency alert break-in.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/370,930 (the “930 Application”; now U.S. Pat. No. 8,099,750), filedFeb. 13, 2009 by Howarter et al. and entitled, “System and Method forBypassing an Emergency Alert Break-In for a Recorded Event,” which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The '930 Applicationis related to the following patent applications: U.S. application Ser.No. 12/370,944, filed Feb. 13, 2009 by Howarter et al., and entitled“System and Method for Displaying an Emergency Alert Message; and U.S.application Ser. No. 12/370,912 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,336,067), filedFeb. 13, 2009 by Howarter et al., and entitled “System and Method forBypassing an Emergency Alert Break-In”; each of which is assigned to thesame assignee, and incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Emergency Alert System is a national public warning system thatstems from the desire of the President of the United States tocommunicate with the public in times of national emergencies. In theearly 1960s, the chief executive began allowing local and stateauthorities to use the system to transmit localized warnings, such as,but not limited to, child abduction emergencies (AMBER alerts) andweather information. The system has been designed to deliver messagesquickly and automatically in the event of an emergency. Among its mostconspicuous features to the public may be the automatic interruption ofbroadcast programming that replaces program audio with an aural alertand superimposes a text crawl with warning information at the bottom ofthe TV screen. In some situations, a local news broadcasting station maycompletely preempt a regularly scheduled program.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the disclosed invention include a system and a method forbypassing an emergency alert break-in for a recorded event. For example,in one embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes receiving mediacontent data from a cable service provider. The method determines arecording setting associated with the set top box and determines whetherthe media content data includes an emergency alert break-in on a channelassociated with the recording setting. In one embodiment, in response toa determination that the media content data includes an emergency alertbreak-in on a channel associated with the recording setting, the methodbypasses recording of the emergency alert break-in on the channelassociated with the recording setting.

In accordance with another embodiment, a set top box is disclosed forbypassing an emergency alert break-in for a recorded event. In oneembodiment, the set top box includes a memory component for storingcomputer executable instructions; a communication interface forreceiving media content data from a cable service provider; a decodermodule for decoding the received media content data; an emergency alertbreak-in monitoring module for identifying an emergency alert break-infrom the received data; a digital video recorder controller module fordetermining whether the identified emergency alert break-in affects arecording of a program on a recorded channel; and an emergency alertbreak-in bypass module for bypassing the identified emergency alertbreak-in for enabling the digital video recorder controller module torecord the program without the identified emergency alert break-in.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described indetail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, which areincorporated by reference herein and wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of a network environment in which theillustrative embodiments may be implemented;

FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of a set top box in accordance with theillustrative embodiments;

FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram illustrating one embodiment for bypassingan emergency alert break-in for a recorded event; and

FIG. 4 depicts a flowchart for bypassing an emergency alert break-in fora recorded event in accordance with the disclosed embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosed embodiments and advantages thereof are best understood byreferring to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, like numerals being used forlike and corresponding parts of the various drawings. Other features andadvantages of the disclosed embodiments will be or will become apparentto one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the followingfigures and detailed description. It is intended that all suchadditional features and advantages be included within the scope of thedisclosed embodiments, and protected by the accompanying drawings.Further, the illustrated figures are only exemplary and not intended toassert or imply any limitation with regard to the environment,architecture, or process in which different embodiments may beimplemented.

The disclosed embodiments recognize deficiencies associated with thecurrent emergency alert system. For example, the disclosed embodimentsrecognize that, in most situations, a viewer prefers that the recordingof a regularly scheduled program not be interrupted by a local newsbreak-in and/or by an emergency alert system message. For instance, inmany situations, a regularly scheduled program is recorded and notviewed until several days later. Accordingly, a recording of anemergency alert break-in occurring several days ago is of littlesignificance to the viewer. In these situations, the viewer prefers thatthe regularly scheduled program had been recorded. Accordingly, thedisclosed embodiments provide a system and method for bypassing anemergency alert break-in for a recorded event. As referenced herein, theterm “bypass” and/or “bypassing” means to circumvent recording of anemergency alert break-in. In addition, as referenced herein, anemergency alert break-in means any message, alert, and/or newscast thatinterrupts by preempting (e.g., a local news break-in) and/or modifyingdisplaying of a regularly scheduled program (e.g., adding an emergencyalert system message crawling text at the bottom of the screen) topresent information associated with an urgent and/or important event.

FIG. 1 depicts a network environment 100 in which the illustrativeembodiments may be implemented for bypassing an emergency alert break-infor a recorded event. In the depicted embodiment, an emergency alertsystem (EAS) issuing authority 102 sends out an emergency alert systemsignal that includes information associated with an emergency alertsystem message. Emergency alert system issuing authority 102 includesnational, state, and local authorities. For example, at the nationallevel, the President may activate the emergency alert system.Additionally, the National Weather Service (NWS) and the FederalEmergency Management Agency (FEMA) may also transmit messages using theemergency alert system. At the state and local level, the EAS StateEmergency Communications Committee (SECC), Local EmergencyCommunications Committee (LECC), and local broadcasting stations maytransmit alert messages, such as, but not limited to, child abductionemergencies (AMBER alerts) and weather alerts/reports, using theemergency alert system.

One or more cable/satellite head ends, such as, but not limited to,cable head end 104, receives the emergency alert system signal fromemergency alert system issuing authority 102 and/or from a neighboringbroadcasting station relaying the emergency alert system message. Cablehead end 104 is a facility that originates and communicatescable/satellite TV services to a plurality of subscribers, such as, butnot limited to, residential location 128 via cable network 110. Inaddition, in one embodiment, cable head end 104 may also receiveupstream requests, such as, but not limited to, receiving a video ondemand request, from residential location 128 via cable network 110. Insome embodiments, cable network 110 may include, but is not limited to,one or more coaxial cable networks, fiber-optic networks, and/orsatellite networks. Additionally, in some embodiments, cable network 110may also include twisted pair networks for providing IPTV cabletelevision-type services.

In one embodiment, cable head end 104 includes an emergency alert systemencoder/decoder (endec) 105 for receiving and decoding an emergencyalert system signal. In one embodiment, emergency alert systemencoder/decoder 105 decodes an emergency alert system signal todetermine the emergency type and affected areas associated with theemergency alert system signal. For example, an emergency alert systemsignal contains codes that identify the key elements of an emergencyalert system message, such as, but not limited to, the messageoriginator, the event, the location of the event, and the valid timeperiod of the message.

In some embodiments, emergency alert system encoder/decoder 105 passesthe decoded emergency alert system message to a media server 106. In oneembodiment, media server 106 includes computer executable instructionsand/or electronic components that automatically recognize incoming EASinformation and generates the appropriate emergency text crawl and/orother appropriate display information associated with the emergencyalert system message for overlaying the emergency alert system messageover a television program.

In some embodiments, cable head end 104 utilizing media server 106and/or other appropriate device encodes a plurality of televisionprogramming signals from a variety of input sources, such as, but notlimited to, one or more local broadcasting stations 122, cable/satelliteprogramming sources 124, and stored media library 126. Additionally, insome embodiments, cable head end 104 receives signals broadcasted fromlocal broadcasting stations 122 over the air using cell transmissiontowers. In one embodiment, cable head end 104 may encode one or moretelevision signals, such as, but not limited to, signals received fromlocal broadcasting stations 122, with an emergency alert system messagein response to receiving an emergency alert system message originatingfrom emergency alert system issuing authority 102.

In some embodiments, cable head end 104 may include a cable modemtermination system (CMTS), such as, CMTS 107, for providing high-speedInternet access via a cable modem to subscribers. In one embodiment,CMTS 107 sends and receives digital cable modem signals on cable network110, such as, but not limited to, receiving signals sent upstream from asubscriber's cable modem, such as, cable modem 114. In some embodiments,CMTS 107 converts the signals into IP packets and routs the signals toan Internet Service Provider for connection to Internet 120. Internet120 is a massive network of networks that connects millions ofcomputers/electronic devices together globally, forming a network inwhich any computer/electronic device can communicate with any othercomputer/electronic device as long as they are both connected to theInternet 120. In addition, in some embodiments, CMTS 107 may also sendsignals downstream to cable modem 114. In one embodiment, cable modem114 may be hardwired to set top box 130 for communicating data betweenset top box 130 and cable modem 114. In some embodiments, cable modem114 may include a wireless transceiver for communicating data wirelesslyto one or more electronic device, such as, but not limited to, set topbox 130.

In accordance with one embodiment of the disclosed invention, acable/satellite programming provider may provide, as a premium service,or as a free service to their subscribers the ability to bypass anemergency alert break-in for a recorded event. For instance, as will befurther described, in one embodiment cable head end 104 may encode andtransmit a set of regularly scheduled programs (e.g., local channels)over a first set of channels that may include an emergency alertbreak-in and may also encode and transmit the set of regularly scheduledprograms on a second set of channels that does not include any emergencyalert break-in, hereinafter, referred to as a non-emergency alertbreak-in channel. In some embodiments, the non-emergency alert break-inchannel may only be decoded by a digital video recorder for recordingthe regularly scheduled program. In other words, in some embodiments, aviewer may not elect to bypass viewing of an emergency alert break-in ona live broadcasting channel. In one embodiment, in response toidentifying an emergency alert break-in on a channel associated with arecording setting of set top box 130, set top box 130 determines whetherthe channel associated with the recording setting has a correspondingnon-emergency alert break-in channel. In these embodiments, set top box130 may modify the recording setting to record a regularly scheduledprogram from the non-emergency alert break-in channel.

In accordance with another embodiment, set top box 130 may only transmitthe first set of channels that may include an emergency alert break-in.In these embodiments, in response to identifying an emergency alertbreak-in on a channel associated with a recording setting of set top,box 130, set top box 130 may request the regularly scheduled programassociated with the recorded channel from a cable service provider(e.g., using similar technology to video on demand). In response toreceiving the regularly scheduled program, set top box 130 may modifythe recording setting to record the received regularly scheduledprogram.

In addition, in some embodiments, set top box 130 may request theregularly scheduled program from an Internet television source, such as,but not limited to, a website providing live and/or recorded televisionprogramming. For example, in some embodiments, set top box 130 mayattempt to retrieve the regularly scheduled program from a websiteassociated with a network broadcasting the regularly scheduled program,such as, but not limited to, ABC.com™. For instance, ABC.com™ currentlyprovides aired episodes of some of their regularly scheduled programs.Thus; in some embodiments, set top box 130 may request the regularlyscheduled program associated with a recorded event that was interruptedby an emergency alert break-in after the regularly scheduled program hasterminated/aired. In these embodiments, set-top box 130 may modify therecording setting to store the received regularly scheduled program forenabling the viewer to playback the regularly scheduled program at adesired time. For example, in some embodiments, set top box 130 mayrecord the streaming data of the regularly scheduled program and storethe recorded data. In other embodiments, set top box 130 may downloadthe regularly scheduled program and associate the downloaded file withthe corresponding recording setting.

FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of set top box 130 for bypassing anemergency alert break-in for a recorded event. In the depictedembodiment, set top box 130 comprises, among other components, aprocessing unit 200, a power unit 202, a memory component 204, a datastorage unit 206, a wireless transceiver 208, a cable card interface210, a decoder module 214, and a set of communication interfaces 216.

Processing unit 200 may comprise of one or more microprocessors forexecuting computer usable program code/instructions for providingtelevision programming and for bypassing an emergency alert break-in fora recorded event. For example, in one embodiment, processing unit 200executes computer executable instructions 220 stored in memory component204 for identifying an emergency alert break-in signal and modifying arecording setting to record a non-emergency alert break-in channel.

In some embodiments, memory component 204 is a volatile memory componentof set top box 130. Volatile memory is memory that loses its contentswhen set top box 130 loses power. For example, in some embodiments,memory component 204 may be random access memory (RAM). Random accessmemory stores currently executing instructions and/or data utilized byan operating system, software program, hardware device, and/or a user.

Data storage unit 206 is a non-volatile memory component of set top box130, such as, but not limited to, a hard disk drive. Non-volatile memoryretains stored data when power is loss. In some embodiments, datastorage unit 206 may be an external hard drive and/or a network datastorage unit. In some embodiments, data storage unit 206 may store mediacontent files 222, such as, but not limited to, television contentreceived from cable head end 104. In addition, in accordance with oneembodiment, data storage unit 206 may store a data structure 224, suchas, but not limited to, a data table that includes a list ofnon-emergency alert break-in channels corresponding to a plurality ofregularly scheduled broadcasting channels. Additionally, in someembodiments, data storage unit 206 may store a set of user preferences230 associated with the recording of one or more television programs.For example, in some embodiments, a user may modify user preferences 230to specify whether a recording event should bypass an emergency alertbreak-in. In some embodiments, a user may specify for each individualrecording event whether to bypass an emergency alert break-in. In otherembodiments, a user may specify to bypass an emergency alert break-infor all recording events.

In accordance with the disclosed embodiments, set top box 130 includescommunication interfaces 216 for receiving media content signals/datafrom, but not limited to, cable head end 104. In addition, in someembodiments, communication interfaces 216 may provide connection portsfor coupling set top box 130 to one or more electronic devices. Forexample, in one embodiment, communication interfaces 216 includes avideo output interface, such as, but not limited to, a coaxial cableconnection for coupling set top box 130 to display unit 150 (as depictedin FIG. 1). In some embodiments, communication interfaces 216 mayinclude an Ethernet port and/or a telephone line port for connecting settop box 130 to a network device over a telephone network and/or Internet120. Additionally, in some embodiments, set top box 130 may includeother connector ports, such as, but not limited to, a 1394 port, auniversal serial bus (USB) port, and/or a high-definition multimediainterface (HDMI).

Set top box 130 may also include one or more decoder module 214 fordecoding received media content signals, such as, but not limited to,cable television signals received from cable head end 104. For example,in some embodiments, decoder module 214 may be a quadrature amplitudemodulation (QAM) tuner. Quadrature amplitude modulation is one format bywhich digital media content channels are encoded and transmitted by acable company, such as, cable head end 104. A QAM tuner is an electronictuning device used in digital television sets, set top boxes, DVRs, andother electronic equipment to tune/decode the received media contentchannels. In some embodiments, decoder module 214 may also be anAdvanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) tuner/receiver forreceiving and decoding over the air digital channels.

In accordance with one embodiment, set top box 130 may include anemergency alert break-in (EAB) monitoring module 218 foridentifying/detecting an emergency alert break-in signal. For example,all emergency alert system messages are required to be digitally encodedwith a header, an attention signal, an audio announcement, and adigitally encoded end-of-message marker The header includes informationabout who originated the alert (the President, state or localauthorities, the National Weather Service, or the broadcaster), a short,general description of the event (tornado, flood, severe thunderstorm),the counties or states affected, the expected duration of the event (inminutes), the date and time it was issued, and an identification of theoriginating station. The attention signal follows the header and maylast between 8 to 25 seconds, depending on the originating station. Forexample, in some embodiments, commercial broadcasting stations, such aslocal broadcasting stations 122, may broadcast an attention signalconsisting of a “two tone” combination of 853 Hz and 960 Hz sine waves.The emergency alert system message ends with three bursts of an end ofmessage indicator, which is the text NNNN, preceded each time by thebinary 10101011.

In one embodiment, emergency alert break-in monitoring module 218 mayidentify an emergency alert break-in signal transmitted from cable headend 104 by recognizing the header information and/or the attentionsignal associated with an emergency alert system message encoded in oneor more broadcast channels. In some embodiments, emergency alert systemmonitoring module 218 may be a dedicated tuner for monitoring aparticular channel associated with a recording event for identifying anemergency alert break-in.

In addition, in some embodiments, set top box 130 may include anemergency alert break-in bypass module 228 for bypassing an emergencyalert break-in for a recorded event. As will be further described, insome embodiments, bypass module 228 may retrieve user preferences 230associated with a recording event to determine whether to bypassrecording of an emergency alert break-in on the channel associated withthe recording event. In some embodiments, bypass module 228 may identifya non-emergency alert break-in channel associated with the recordingevent and modify a recording setting to record the non-emergency alertbreak-in channel for the recording event. In other embodiments, bypassrecording module 228 may request a regularly scheduled programcorresponding to the recording event from a cable service providerand/or an Internet television source and modify the recording setting torecord the received regularly scheduled program.

Additionally, set top box 130 may include a digital video recorder (DVR)controller 226 for recording and playback of media content files 222. Insome embodiments, DVR controller 226 may be utilized to record and/orplayback streaming video received from an Internet source. In someembodiments, DVR controller 226 may encompass one or more functionsand/or features performed by bypass module 228 and/or emergency alertbreak-in monitoring module 218 as described above.

In one embodiment, set top box 130 may include wireless transceiver 208for providing short-range exchange of data using, but not limited to,infrared light. For example, in one embodiment, wireless transceiver 208enables a viewer to utilize a remote control device to configure andoperate set top box 130, such as, but not limited to, configuring settop box 130 to record an event/program. Additionally, in someembodiments, wireless transceiver 208 may utilize a wireless Internetprotocol for communicating data wirelessly to cable modem 114. Forexample, in one embodiment, wireless transceiver 208 may receivestreaming media content from an Internet source via a cable modem 114.

In some embodiments, set top box 130 may include a cable card interface210 for interfacing with a plug-in cable/smart card that enables viewingand/or recording of cable television programming. For example, in someembodiments, cable card 210 comprises instructions and/or a decryptionkey for decoding encrypted cable television signals transmitted by cablehead end 104.

Additionally, set top box 130 may include a power source, such as, powerunit 202. In one embodiment, power unit 202 converts the input powerfrom an AC adaptor to run various components of set top box 130. Inaddition, in some embodiments, power unit 202 may include an internalpower source, such as, but not limited to, a battery component.

With reference now to FIG. 3, a diagram illustrating one embodiment forbypassing an emergency alert break-in for a recorded event is presented.In the depicted embodiment, cable head end 104 transmits a plurality ofchannels, such as, but not limited to, channels 1-1000 to a plurality ofsubscribers including, but not limited to, set-top box 130. For example,in one embodiment, channels 1-1000 may include five local channelsassociated with the location of set top box 130. For instance, in thedepicted embodiment, local channels A-E are respectively encoded onchannel frequencies 2, 4, 7, 11, and 13. In accordance with oneembodiment, cable head end 104 may encode an emergency alert break-in(EAB) on one or more local channels, such as, but not limited to, localchannel 2 and local channel 11. In one embodiment, cable head end 104may also transmit a set of non-emergency alert break-in channels 900-904respectively associated with local channels A-E. In these embodiments,set top box 130 may utilize data structure 224 for determining thecorresponding non-emergency alert break-in channel for a local channel.

For example, in the depicted embodiment, set top box 130 utilizingdecoder module 214 decodes one or more of the received channels toproduce video/audio content. In one embodiment, decoder module 214communicates with DVR controller 226 to determine a recording setting.For example, in the depicted embodiment, DVR controller 226 is set torecord channel 4 (local channel B). In the depicted embodiment, decodermodule 214 decodes local channel B and passes the signal to emergencyalert break-in monitoring module 218 for determining whether localchannel B is encoded with an emergency alert break-in. In someembodiments, emergency alert break-in monitoring module 218 may includea separate tuner/decoder for decoding the recorded channel. In oneembodiment, emergency alert break-in monitoring module 218 identifies anemergency alert break-in by monitoring for the header information and/oran attention signal associated with an emergency alert system message.In the depicted embodiment, in response to detecting an emergency alertbreak-in on the recorded channel, emergency alert break-in monitoringmodule 218 passes the information to emergency alert break-in bypassmodule 228. In one embodiment, emergency alert break-in bypass module228 retrieves data structure 224 for identifying a correspondingnon-emergency alert break-in channel associated with local channel B. Insome embodiments, emergency alert break-in bypass module 228 may alsoretrieve user preferences 230 to determine whether to bypass anemergency alert break-in for the recorded event. In one embodiment, inresponse to a determination to bypass the emergency alert break-in forthe recorded event, emergency alert break-in bypass module 228 modifiesthe recording setting of DVR controller 226 to record non-emergencyalert break-in channel 901 corresponding to local channel B.

With reference now to FIG. 4, an embodiment of flowchart depicting aprocess 400 for bypassing an emergency alert break-in for recorded eventis presented. Process 400 may be executed by a set top box, such as, butnot limited to, set top box 130 as depicted in FIG. 2. Process 400begins by receiving media content data from, but not limited to, cablehead end 140 at step 402. At step 404, the process retrieves thesettings associated with a digital video recorder of the set top box.The process, at step 406, determines whether the digital video recorderis set to record a recording event. If the process determines that thedigital video recorder is not set to record a recording event, theprocess terminates.

However, if the process determines that the digital video recorder isset to record a recording event, the process determines the recordingchannel associated with the recording event at step 408. At step 410,the process decodes the television signal associated with the recordingchannel of the recording event. The process, at step 412, determineswhether the decoded television signal associated with the recordingchannel includes an emergency alert break-in. If the process determinesthat the television signal associated with the recording channel doesnot include an emergency alert break-in, the process records therecording channel at step 414, with process 400 terminating thereafter.

If the process, at step 412, determines that the television signalassociated with the recording channel does include an emergency alertbreak-in, the process retrieves the user preferences associated with therecording event. At step 418, the process determines whether to bypassrecording of the emergency alert break-in for the recording event basedon the retrieved user preferences. If for some reason, a user elects notto bypass recording of an emergency alert break-in for the recordingevent, the process records the recording channel at step 414, withprocess 400 terminating thereafter.

However, if the process, at step 418, determines to bypass an emergencyalert break-in for a recording event based on the retrieved userpreferences, the process bypasses the emergency alert break-in andrecords the regularly scheduled program associated with the recordingchannel. For example, in one embodiment, the process, at step 420, maydetermine a non-emergency alert break-in channel associated with therecording channel. At step 422, the process modifies the recordingsetting to record from the non-emergency alert break-in channel, withprocess 400 terminating thereafter.

In accordance with another embodiment, responsive to a determination tobypass an emergency alert break-in for a recording event, the process,at step 424, may transmit a request to a cable service provider for theregularly scheduled program associated with the recording event. Inresponse to receiving the regularly scheduled program from the cableservice provider, the process, at step 426, modifies the recordingsetting to record the received regularly scheduled program in lieu ofrecording the recording channel, with process 400 terminatingthereafter.

In addition, in accordance with some embodiments, responsive to adetermination to bypass an emergency alert break-in for a recordingevent, the process, at step 428, may request the regularly scheduledprogram from an Internet source. For example, currently, severalwebsites enables live viewing of local broadcast channels via theInternet. In addition, several broadcasting networks maintain websitesthat enable viewing of aired episodes associated with their regularlyscheduled programs. In one embodiment, a user may configure set top box130 to retrieve the regularly scheduled program from a particularwebsite. In addition, in some embodiments, set top box 130 may beconfigured to automatically query an Internet source for the desiredregularly scheduled program. In other embodiments, a user may manuallyquery and retrieve the regularly scheduled program from the Internetsource using set-top box 130.

In response to receiving the regularly scheduled program from theInternet source, the process modifies the recording setting to store theretrieved regularly scheduled program at step 430, with process 400terminating thereafter. In some embodiments, the process may record thestreaming video retrieved from an Internet source. In other embodiments,the process may download a media content file associated with aregularly scheduled programming and associated the downloaded mediacontent file with the recorded event.

Accordingly, embodiments of the disclosed invention include a system anda method for bypassing an emergency alert break-in for a recorded event.As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the disclosedembodiments may be embodied as a system, method, or computer programproduct. In addition, the disclosed embodiments including, but notlimited to, the disclosed modules may be implemented entirely withhardware or as a software embodiment (including firmware, residentsoftware, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software andhardware aspects. Furthermore, the disclosed embodiments may take theform of a computer program product embodied in any tangible medium ofexpression having computer-usable program code embodied in the medium.

Computer program code for carrying out operations of the presentinvention may be written in any combination of one or more programminglanguages, including an object oriented programming language, such asJava, Smalltalk, C++, or the like and conventional proceduralprogramming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similarprogramming languages. The program code may execute entirely on theuser's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latterscenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computerthrough any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or awide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an externalcomputer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider).

The disclosed embodiments are described above with reference toflowchart illustrations, sequence diagrams, and/or block diagrams. Eachblock of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, andcombinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or blockdiagrams, may be implemented by computer program instructions. Thesecomputer program instructions may be provided to a processor of ageneral purpose computer, special purpose computer, or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such thatthe instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer orother programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in acomputer-readable medium that can direct a computer or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instruction meanswhich implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer orother programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series ofoperational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmableapparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that theinstructions which execute on the computer or other programmableapparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/actsspecified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The terminology used herein is for describing particular embodimentsonly and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As usedherein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to includethe plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprise”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification and/or the claims,specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations,elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence oraddition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations,elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The correspondingstructures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plusfunction elements in the claims below are intended to include anystructure, material, or act for performing the function in combinationwith other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description ofthe present invention has been presented for purposes of illustrationand description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to theinvention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations willbe apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing fromthe scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen anddescribed to explain the principles of the invention and the practicalapplication, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art tounderstand the invention for various embodiments with variousmodifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

In addition, the flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustratethe architecture, functionality, and operation of possibleimplementations of systems, methods and computer program productsaccording to various embodiments of the present invention. In thisregard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent amodule, segment, or portion of code, which may include one or moreexecutable instructions for implementing the specified logicalfunction(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of theorder noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts, or combinations of special, purpose hardware andcomputer instructions.

The previous detailed description is of a small number of embodimentsfor implementing the invention and is not intended to be limiting inscope. One of skill in this art will immediately envisage the methodsand variations used to implement this invention in other areas thanthose described in detail. The following claims set forth a number ofthe embodiments of the invention disclosed with greater particularity.

We claim:
 1. A set top box for bypassing an emergency alert break-in fora recorded event, the set top box comprising: a memory component forstoring computer executable instructions; a communication interface forreceiving media content data from a cable service provider; a decodermodule for decoding the received media content data; an emergency alertbreak-in monitoring module for identifying an emergency alert break-infrom the received data, by determining whether the received dataincludes a tone-based attention signal associated with an emergencyalert break-in; a digital video recorder controller module fordetermining whether the identified emergency alert break-in affects arecording of a program on a recorded channel; and an emergency alertbreak-in bypass module for bypassing the identified emergency alertbreak-in for enabling the digital video recorder controller module torecord the program without the identified emergency alert break-in byrequesting, in response to a determination to bypass the emergency alertbreak-in, the program from an Internet television source, and,responsive to receiving the program from the internet television source,recording the received program.
 2. The set top box of claim 1, whereinthe communication interface receives both the recorded channel and anon-emergency alert break-in channel corresponding to the recordedchannel.
 3. The set top box of claim 2, further comprising a datastorage unit for storing a data structure that includes data indicatingthe non-emergency alert break-in channel corresponding to the recordedchannel.
 4. The set top box of claim 3, wherein the emergency alertbreak-in bypass module identifies the non-emergency alert break-inchannel corresponding to the recorded channel; and switches recording ofthe program from the recorded channel to recording of the program on thenon-emergency alert break-in channel corresponding to the recordedchannel.
 5. The set top box of claim 2, wherein the data storage unitstores user preferences associated with the recording of the program. 6.The set top box of claim 5, wherein the user preferences associated withthe recording of the program may be different from user preferencesassociated with the recording of a second program.
 7. The set top box ofclaim 5, wherein the emergency alert break-in bypass module retrievesthe user preferences associated with the recording of the program todetermine whether to bypass the identified emergency alert break-in forrecording of the program.
 8. The set top box of claim 1, wherein theemergency alert break-in bypass module requests the program from thecable service provider in response to a determination that theidentified emergency alert break-in affects the recording of the programon the recorded channel; and responsive to receiving the program fromthe cable service provider, the digital video recorder controller modulerecords the received program.
 9. The set top box of claim 1, wherein theinternet television source is a website associated with a networkbroadcasting the program.
 10. A method executed by a set top box forbypassing an emergency alert break-in for a recorded event, the methodcomprising: receiving media content data from a cable service provider;determining a recording setting associated with the set top box;determining whether the media content data includes an emergency alertbreak-in on a channel associated with the recording setting, bydetermining whether the media content data includes a tone-basedattention signal associated with an emergency alert break-in; andbypassing recording of the emergency alert break-in on the channelassociated with the recording setting by: requesting, in response to adetermination to bypass an emergency alert break-in for a recordingevent, a regularly scheduled program corresponding to the channelassociated with the recording setting from an Internet televisionsource; and modifying, responsive to receiving the regularly scheduledprogram from the Internet television source, the recording setting torecord the received regularly scheduled program.
 11. The method of claim10, wherein the step of bypassing recording of the emergency alertbreak-in on the channel associated with the recording setting furthercomprises: retrieving user preferences associated with the recordingsetting; and determining whether to bypass recording of the emergencyalert break-in on the channel associated with the recording settingbased on the user preferences.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein themedia content data received from the cable service provider includes anon-emergency alert break-in channel corresponding to the channelassociated with the recording setting.
 13. The method of claim 12,wherein the non-emergency alert break-in channel may only be decoded forrecording of the nonemergency alert break-in channel.
 14. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the step of bypassing recording of the emergency alertbreak-in on the channel associated with the recording setting furthercomprises: identifying the non-emergency alert break-in channelcorresponding to the channel associated with the recording setting; andmodifying the recording setting to record the non-emergency alertbreak-in channel.
 15. The method of claim 10, wherein the step ofbypassing recording of the emergency alert break-in on the channelassociated with the recording setting further comprises: requesting aregularly scheduled program corresponding to the channel associated withthe recording setting from the cable service provider; and responsive toreceiving the regularly scheduled program from the cable serviceprovider, modifying the recording setting to record the receivedregularly scheduled program.
 16. The method of claim 10, wherein theInternet television source is a website associated with a networkbroadcasting the regularly scheduled program.
 17. The method of claim10, wherein the request for the regularly scheduled program istransmitted to the Internet television source is performed after theregularly scheduled program has terminated.